Here he comes! My second favourite knight!

Madelyn stood facing her brother with her arms crossed, her face showing no sign of amusement.

"Merlin..."

"I know and I'm sorry but Arthur insisted we stoped at a tavern and we ended up in a bar fight and also someone else and he ended up hurt and so he's sleeping I my bed now and -" Madelyn eyes widened and she saw Merlin's face red as he continued on rambling without leaving room for breath and so she held up her hand over his mouth smiling.

"Breath, please Merlin." Madelyn chuckled slightly as Merlin took a deep breath as he leaned towards a wall." I'll have your and Arthur's shirts mended shortly, don't worry. Now go tend to your guest, I'll bring them as soon as they're done." Madelyn smiled as her brother grinned widely and kissed her forehead before leaving her house. She had hoped when she saw her brother leave for a hunt trip that he and the prince would managed to stay out of trouble but when did Merlin ever stay out of trouble? Smiling and shaking her head she looked at the shirts, might aswell mend them right away.

Walking through the streets towards the castle with a few clothing deliveries Madelyn smiled as she looked at the familiar faces, but all of a sudden her path was blocked by a smiling young man holding out a small flower.

"I believe this belongs to you. " Madelyn simply smiled kindly at the man, sure he was handsome but he knew it and seemed like the kind that said these things all day with a charming smirk on his face.

"I don't think so, it's not my color." The man seemed to not want to give up.

"Ah well... let us see." The man gently put the flower in her hair and Madelyn shook her head internally at the man's attempt.

"If I hadn't seen you take this flower seconds ago I would've bet you'd got a whole bunch of these flowers hidden somewhere." Madelyn smiled but raised an eyebrow and tilting her head.

"Never, yours the only one." The smirking man held up hos empty hands and it amused Madelyn but she found his words had no effect and smiling she remembered Lancelot's face. Shaking her head slightly Madelyn tried to move past the man but he wouldn't give up so easily, instead he stepped towards her. "I'm Gwaine." Beeing polite Madelyn shook his outstretched hand but as she moved to walk away she found her hand still in his as he gently wouldn't let go. "You haven't told me your name. You look like a princess to me, so it's probably something like Sophia or... Esmeralda. That's it. Princess Esmeralda." Madelyn studied the smug looking man named Gwaine for a second before shaking her head, but as he bowed to her as if she was royal she looked around and people had started looking at them.

"Please, stop it. People are staring. " Madelyn didn't need or even like a lot of attention and she felt a slight blush reach her cheeks, Gwaine simply kept in his bow.

"Not until you tell me your name. " He had his methods, she would give him that.

"It's Madelyn, now please stop." Madelyn glanced around missing the smirk on Gwaine's lips.

"There. That wasn't so hard was it?" Shaking her head once again Madelyn tried to walk towards the castle once more, but again her path was blocked by Gwaine and he reached for the basket she held.

"Here, let me carry that. A princess shouldn't have to lump her washing around." As he reached for her basket Madelyn pulled it away.

"Well, unfortunately for you and lucky for me I'm not a princess."

"Ah! But you see... you are to me." At Gwaine's attempt Madelyn couldn't help but to laugh. Apparently Gwaine finally understood. "This isn't working, is it?" Shaking her head Madelyn smiled warmly and patted his arm.

"No, not really. But thank you for trying and knowing when to give up." Reaching up to her hair Madelyn pulled out the flower and handed it to Gwaine. "Here you better have this, in case someone else takes your fancy." Smiling Madelyn moved pass him but as she had walked a few steps she heard him.

"I've only got eyes for you." Shaking her head and laughing slightly Madelyn didn't bother to look back as she answered.

"I'm sure."

So the man called Gwaine was the one Merlin had saved. Madelyn had been told as she left of the shirts to Merlin but she couldn't stay and chat for long, she knew she would have many customers thanks to the upcoming mêlée. Many girls and women wanted to look their best in new dresses and so Madelyn had many presewn dresses ready, the dresses only needed adjusting.

Making her way to the castle Madelyn had to hide a yawn. She had stayed up almost all night to finish the dresses that had been ordered, Madelyn had only stopped to sleep for a few hours when it started affect her work and she sure would rather lose a finger before lowering the quality of her work.

Walking up the stairs inside the castle Madelyn almost stumbled into her brother, Merlin was struggling with a huge coffin.

"Oh! Merlin, are you alright? Is no one helping you?" Madelyn watched as her brother leaned against a wall, looking around to see that they alone then he answered in a whispering voice.

"It's got a spell on it so it feels like it weighs nothing but I have to pretend it is heavy. " smirking proud of himself Merlin tossed the huge chest once in the air like a small ball making Madelyn laugh shaking her head. "But I have to be careful, as soon as there are people around I take it away, in case someone tries to lift it aswell." Happy with Merlin's answer and his caution Madelyn laughed and hugged him before continuing her way to deliver the dresses.

After yet another long day of greeting and speaking to customers, Madelyn sat infront of her fire sewing, her hands still working on their own accord even after so many hours of work. A knock on the door gave her chance to stretch her fingers but opening the door she was greeted by one of the workers at the tavern.

Sighing Madelyn closed and hatched her door, finally back home. After being told she had a friend in need in the tavern she had walked there and found Gwaine drinking away for money he didn't have. After not being able to convince Gwaine he'd had enough she had ran and gotten Merlin and left him with the trouble. After all he was staying at Merlin's place and Madelyn had only been called because someone had witnessed Gwaine's flirtatious attempt to get to know Madelyn.

Taking a deep breath Madelyn gave the door to her bedroom a longing look before she sat down and continued sewing, she could sleep later.

"Okay, alright you can stop laughing now." Madelyn grinned widely and whiped her eyes as she looked at the pouting/smiling Gwaine. She had ran into him and he had told her of how Arthur had forced Merlin and him to polish all the boots of the entire army.

"Well I do think you had it coming, after all you drank in the tavern." Whiping her eyes a final time Madelyn started walking again and Gwaine walked alongside her.

"Hey! I thought you were on my side, princess." Madelyn laughed as Gwaine chuckled. The two had developed a friendship as soon as Gwaine realised Madelyn wouldn't fall for his flirtatious attempts, but Gwaine still called her princess as a nickname.

Soon the two arrived at the training grounds and they watched as Arthur battled against a visiting knight who was here for the mêlée, Madelyn had met him the first year she had arrived in Camelot. His name was Sir Oswald if she remembered correctly, he was a kind man and had helped her when she had dropped a whole basket of fabrics and threads. Soon Arthur came out as the victorious and Gwaine gave an approving grunt.

"Well the braggart can fight at least." At Gwaine's words Madelyn looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Was that a compliment towards the prince I heard?" Madelyn didn't smirk but Gwaine saw it ghosting in her eyes and he scoffed.

"Never." Smiling Madelyn turned her eyes towards the training grounds again, watching as Ser Oswald spoke to his companion, something was different about him. "Besides Arthur's opponant fought with rage, not with his head." Madelyn turned towards Gwaine confused.

"Rage?"

"Yup. " As Madelyn tilted her head still in confusion Gwaine continued."It showed in the way he was fighting, how he held his sword and all. That man has some spite against the prince, that's for sure." Gwaine said shrugging as if was no big deal. "What?"

"It's just..." Madelyn turned her eyes towards the training grounds again, watching with furrowed eyebrows. "That's very unlike him, or the man I remember. I guess he's changed." Madelyn shrugged aswell.

"On another, funnier note..." Gwaine spoke with an tone that made Madelyn cautious, it was the same tone Merlin used when he wanted to ask something from her. "... I was wondering of you would introduce me to the handmaiden in the purple dress? I've seen her walking around the castle."

"Since when do you need someone else to introduce you? You don't seem like that kind of person." Madelyn smiled as she and Gwaine walked away from the training grounds.

"Never, just wanted to see what you would say." Gwaine grinned widely and Madelyn nudged his arm. "Oh! There she is! Wish me luck, even tho I won't need it." With a wink Gwaine jogged away from Madelyn's side and towards the figure of Gwen who was walking some distance away. Madelyn laughed to herself, she knew Gwaine didn't stand a chance with Gwen.

Madelyn sighed as she sat inside her house that night, she had heard the story that went around that Gwaine attacked Ser Oswald and was going to be executed, thankfully Arthur stepped in and now Gwaine was banished from Camelot. Merlin had told her the real story, how Gwaine had saved Merlin as he was looking through Ser Oswald's and Ser Ethan's chambers to save Arthur's life.

A knocking made Madelyn almost prick her fingers on her needle, who was knocking this late at night? Cautiously Madelyn moved to the door.

"Who is it?" Madelyn held her hand on the hatch but opening it when it was this late?

"Your knight in shining armour, princess." Hearing the smirking voice of Gwaine Madelyn opened the hatch and let the smiling man inside. "This place is nice! I should've stayed with you here instead of Merlin's room." Gwaine grinned widely but Madelyn saw that something was brewing in his mind.

"Wouldn't that had given the neighbours something to gossip about?" Madelyn watched as Gwaine just shrugged still grinning and as he walked around in her shop, his body telling her that he was alot more restless than he wanted to be. "I'm sorry to hear of your banishment Gwaine, and I'm sorry that you have to leave." Gwaine turned to look at the woman standing in the room, her stance was almost regal but her eyes were sincere. His smile faltered as he looked down at her table, small pieces of fabric and threads layed out.

"I ... was thinking of not leaving. Well, yet. " Madelyn looked at Gwaine, something about him was different and it seemed as if he didn't really fully like it.

"Why is that?" Madelyn sat down at her table and Gwaine sat down opposite side.

"Well, I'm sure Merlin have told you about the men with the magic swords. " Madelyn nodded letting him continue. " Well, we think those men are probably planning on attacking Arthur tomorrow at the mêlée." His words stopped there and Madelyn watched as he was trying to decide what to do. Well, it was clear Gwaine had decided what to do but just didn't believe it or understand it.

"Would it help if I asked you to stop them?" Madelyn smiled her usual kind and gentle smile as Gwaine looked up surprised.

"How did you know?" His face made Madelyn smile wider.

"Your face, your stance. I'm guessing you want to save Arthur's life since you know he's beeing attacked and yet I know you find it hard to see past that he's noble. Am I wrong?" Exhaling and smiling Gwaine shook his head.

"Nope, spot on actually." Gwaine's expression told Madelyn everything.

"Well, then I'll ask. Please, Gwaine. Stay and save Arthur's life tomorrow at the mêlée. If not for Arthur then for... me?" Madelyn smiled as Gwaine's grin grew wide.

"Can't say no to a princess now, can I?"

Madelyn had offered her bed to Gwaine as she knew that she would be up all night doing the last sewing but Gwaine insisted on keeping her company. He even offered to help but since the stitching on his trousers showed his work Madelyn kindly declined.

"So... " Madelyn looked up from the dress in her lap as Gwaine spoke. "Want to tell me about the man who gave you that necklace?" Now it was Madelyn's turn to look surprised.

"How did you know it was from a man?"

"Well, I've seen the way you hold it when your lost in thought and how you smile, remembering. I don't think it's a smile you wear when thinking of family. So my guess, someone - or the one - who has your heart aswell." Blushing and smiling at Gwaine's words Madelyn found herself holding the necklace and telling Gwaine all about her Lancelot and not once did Gwaine complain or change the subject.

"I'm not going to ask where you're going to get armour and a sword for the mêlée, but please remember to be careful." It was the next morning and Gwaine was on his way to slip away to get ready for the mêlée.

"What's the fun in that?" Gwaine winked but nodded when he saw Madelyn's raised eyebrow. "I'll try."

"Good, now go and be a hero." Madelyn smiled as she watched Gwaine stay hidden in the shadows, the first light of day showing and Madelyn prepared for her customers arriving at any second.

Walking beside Gwen Madelyn smiled, she was glad Gwaine had been there and saved Arthur but Uther had still been angry and so Gwaine was still banished. Speaking of the hero of the day...

"Dare I say you two may be the fairest and most beautiful women Camelot has ever seen? " Madelyn smiled and Gwen laughed at Gwaine's words as he came up to them, bag on his shoulder.

"Dare I assume you say that in every city you travel through? " Gwen's words made Madelyn laugh, and Gwaine pretended to look hurt by her words.

"Me? I would never. Those words hurt, I think I'm bleeding. " Madelyn just shook her head and Gwen patted his chest.

"Seem fine to me." Madelyn looked up to Gwaine after a slight silence, they realised he needed to leave and Madelyn hugged Gwaine then kissed his cheek.

"Slow down, princess. Do I need to remind you you're taken? " At Gwaine's words they all laughed and Gwen kissed his cheek aswell making Gwaine look more smug then ever. "I think I need to find more princes to save."

Watching him walk out of Camelot Madelyn smiled, she was sure this wasn't the last time she saw him.

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